I have one word to preface today’s post:
SNOW
Yes. There has been snow on the ground for the last three days. It’s October 12th and I am so not okay with winter invading my favourite and most fleeting season. Fall, please come back.
The only appropriate way to cope with a blanket of snow that shows up 8 weeks before it’s welcome is to make soup. Preferably a soup that is as delicious as it is simple, and twice as comforting.
We did the math and decided on this creamy vegan leek and potato soup. I love chunky soups so this one is loaded with tender potato chunks and finely sliced leeks, but you can also purée it if you prefer silky smooth soups.
Making a vegan version of this classic soup was a breeze. A combination of coconut cream and white miso mimic the salty creaminess of the butter and cream used in “traditional” potato and leek soups. The coconut cream won’t actually make this soup taste like coconut – I promise. Use only the concentrated cream portion from a chilled can of coconut cream (not milk) to reduce the coconut flavour while retaining creaminess. You can use up the remaining coconut water in other recipes, smoothies, or oatmeal.
We topped our bowls with Daiya cheddar style shreds for a cheesy twist. This soup is best served with crusty french bread slathered with Earth Balance. Second best option? Plain ol’ saltines! We’re sticking with classic comforting combos for these chilly winterfall days. Enjoy!
Keep warm with more of our favourite vegan soup recipes:
- Creamy Broccoli Soup
- Chickpea & Vegetable Coconut Curry Soup
- Tofu Noodle Soup
- Easy Chickpea Curry Soup
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- 1 - 1.5 lb bag of Creamer potatoes (or 1.5 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and quartered)
- 2 tbsp olive oil or Earth Balance (vegan "butter")
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups thin-sliced leeks (approx 2 leeks - cleaned with dark green leaves removed)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp white miso (mixed with 2 tbsp hot water to make a paste)
- ⅓ cup + 2 tsp coconut cream (the concentrated white cream from a chilled can of coconut cream - Thai Kitchen is my preferred brand)
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- Cover potatoes with water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until the largest potato feels tender in the center (when poked with a fork).
- Drain potatoes and chop approximately ¼ of them into bite-sized pieces. Leave the remaining potatoes whole.
- In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and minced garlic, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until leeks are tender. Reserve approximately ⅓-1/2 of the leeks.
- Add the whole potatoes and vegetable broth to the remaining leeks/garlic in the sauce pan. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup. Add the chopped bite-sized potatoes and reserved leeks and bring the soup to a simmer.
- Once the soup is simmering, add the miso paste and the coconut cream. Stir well. Adjust the consistency with vegetable broth if needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve topped with vegan cheddar shreds (totally optional - we used Daiya) alongside some crackers or crusty French bread spread with Earth Balance.
Sorry to hear about the snow, but this soup looks super cozy and delicious!
Thanks Sara!
Love the addition of coconut cream, its so rich and delicious in soups. Snow sounds pretty dreadful in October!
Thanks Leslie! I can’t get enough of coconut cream in soups, so good!
I’m going to gloat a little here, but hey – I did my time in the world of snow. I enjoy fall, but ever since I moved to the West Coast I find that I’m not nearly so upset about the arrival of winter. Probably because it doesn’t really come with snow. Heh.
Anyway, weather-bragging aside, this sounds SO SO SO good. I mean, it’s so hearty and delicious, and I’m admittedly pretty impressed with what you’ve done while avoiding dairy. I tend to think of dishes like this and assume that I’m going to need butter/cream/cheese to build up that silky and rich texture. But miso and coconut milk are both such brilliant and inspired components to bring into a soup like this, and I bet the end result is absolutely spectacular. Great job!
I’m originally from BC, so these cold and dry Alberta winters feel AWFUL! I’m jealous of your west coast “winters”, I really am.
As for your comments on this soup, thank you! Coconut cream and miso are a total power couple when it comes to creamy vegan recipes. I also want to thank you for leaving such thoughtful comments, other bloggers should take note (myself included.) Thank you!
I had a ‘Facebook memory’ today from a couple of years ago showing over a foot of snow from a blizzard! We’re just having non-stop rain right now and I miss the snow. Potato soup is the perfect comfort food for chilly weather, though, and this looks delicious.
Aw yuck! A blizzard in October? I’m not sure which is worse, snow or rain. I like them both a whole lot more when I don’t have to leave the house!
Yes, a hearty and flavourful soup for these “winterfall” days—I love it!
Thanks Cheryl!
Just made this today (sans miso….too spendy) and it is amazing!!! Thank you for sharing.
That’s great Carol! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I made this with yukon gold potatoes instead of russet. So good! I will say although I did taste the miso when I first sampled the soup (which tasted kind of odd), I didn’t notice it after the soup had been sitting for awhile. So anyone who tries this, let it simmer!
Thanks Christine! I think it can also depends on the brand of miso you use. Some are a little more mellow and blend in better.
Nice and creamy! I added a couple of bay leaves in lieu of the miso paste and it was scrumptious. Thanks!
Oh! Great substitute, I’ll have to try that! Thanks for commenting Linda!